SIWA의 행정 담당자이자 환경 보호 활동가인 이레네 누띨라(Irene Nuutila) 씨가 쓴 이 에세이는, 어린 시절부터 환경을 위한 작지만 의미 있는 실천을 이어온 저자의 깊은 성찰을 담고 있습니다. 오염 없는 세상을 꿈꾸며 품었던 순수한 바람에서 시작된 그녀의 여정은, 영국에서 유리병을 몰래 모아 재활용했던 경험을 지나 최근 아부다비에서의 해양 보존 자원봉사 활동으로 이어집니다.
자연을 아끼고 지키는 삶 속에서 진정한 보람과 삶의 목적을 발견했다는 그녀는 말합니다. 우리의 작고 사소해 보이는 일상 속 선택들이 모여 세상에 변화를 일으킬 수 있으며, 다른 이들에게도 영감을 줄 수 있다고요.
지속가능한 삶은 불편함이 아닌, 자연과 조화롭게 숨 쉬며 살아가는 기쁨이자 충만함임을 이 글은 조용히 일깨워줍니다. 그리고 그 마음이 누군가의 삶에도 닿기를, 그녀는 진심으로 바라고 있습니다.
한국의 훌륭한 산에 탐험 중 | Soaking up the magnificent mountain views in Korea, becoming one with nature
If You Had One Wish for The World…
I was an elementary school student and home alone one late afternoon when the doorbell rang. Maybe less spooky than you initially thought – behind the door was a Jehovah's Witness. She asked me: If you could change one thing in this world, what would it be?
Without much thought, I told her I wish there were no pollution in this world. It was the first thing that came to my mind, and even after the Jehovah’s Witness had left, I was still pondering my choice, especially considering that I lived in one of the countries with the least air pollution, Finland. Either way, having reached the age of 40, my concern is still valid; air pollution and climate change, plastic crisis, marine pollution, soil pollution are all affecting life on Earth, our food and groundwater. And if I digress a bit, there’s even junk in the space – human-made objects and debris orbiting the Earth!
Back to the mundane spheres, though – my intention is not to dwell on the severity of the situation. For me, the more important question is: what are the contributions I can make to leave the Earth a little better than I found it?
It was also in elementary school when environmental science was introduced to the curriculum. I vividly remember a picture in our textbook showing a family’s average monthly waste by type. I was struck by how much of that waste could be reduced through recycling. At the time in the 90s, recycling stations were sparse and not in every housing complex, so I started flattening all cardboard waste in my home and stored it under the kitchen sink to recycle later when visiting a supermarket with a recycling station at its parking yard 2 km walk away. My mother sometimes got annoyed by the growing piles in the kitchen cabinet and tossed them away, but I always started again.
After graduating high school, I left for England to work in a hotel’s restaurant. I was shocked to see that they threw all used glass bottles into landfill waste (along with everything else). I knew that there was a recycling station just a stone’s throw away, so I suggested to the duty manager that I take the empty bottles there after my shifts. The response, however, was no – what if a customer sees me carrying trash out of the hotel premises, what would they think, and what would it do for the hotel's reputation? Unsatisfied with that answer, I resolved the dilemma by regularly smuggling empty glass bottles from the hotel to recycling after my shifts. My close colleagues helped me by ensuring that the coast was clear for my mission, and cheered me up – I had a lot of fun while doing what felt right!
Although I studied graphic and media engineering in college, I did my thesis about the environmental impacts and chemical safety in the graphic industry. I’ve always been an average student at best, but I was so passionate about the topic that the thesis ended up being more than 100 pages long, and I earned an A for my work.
I sometimes wonder why I care so much. It's just something that has always felt important to me, and I can only wonder if this was a mission I had pre-chosen for this life on Earth.
I recently relocated to Abu Dhabi after living a decade in Korea. The first thing I did after finding an apartment, was to order a water filter, then source laundry detergent & dishwasher sheets without plastic packaging and harsh chemicals. And the third and fourth action points were to look for communities to contribute and learn about sustainability locally, and opportunities to volunteer for environmental causes.
And then there are the usual habits, like only buying take-out food in my reusable containers (well, we resorted to home delivery a few times while waiting for our moving container to arrive, living in an empty apartment with nothing but inflatable mattresses and a set of bamboo spoons). I also use reusable produce bags to buy fruits and vegetables, carry a refillable water bottle, eat mostly vegetarian/vegan food, take bicycle for short distances and bus for longer distances when feasible (busses to downtown run every 1.5 hours or so, and I’m often the only westerner in the bus!). I’m selective which businesses I support, preferring to spend my money on companies that prioritize sustainability. I also think leaving (respectful and constructive) feedback to businesses is an effective way of driving change.
Six months into my life in this city, and I have attended several educational sessions on animal welfare and marine conservation, joined mangrove cleanups, and together with my husband, volunteer weekly in what is called Turtle Patrol (otherwise, I don’t think I’d get myself up from the bed at 5 am!)
The long beach close to our home is a nesting ground for critically endangered hawksbill sea turtles. Those individuals who were born on those beaches, even decades ago, return to the same beaches to lay their eggs, using their internal navigation system based on Earth’s magnetic fields. Fascinating, isn’t it? The less fascinating fact is that they are likely to go extinct during our lifetime. That gloomy forecast doesn’t discourage the local community from taking action, though – quite the opposite!
Turtle patrol volunteers take turns patrolling the beach early each morning, starting before sunrise, looking for nests and securing them from the high tide and predators, and then helping any hatchlings who mistook the direction to find their way to the sea later. Mistaking plastic for food is another major threat to their health and, ultimately, life. During each patrol, I, as I believe many volunteers do, also collect plastic debris washed ashore.
If we find any stranded sea snakes – also very important for the marine ecosystem – we report them to the rescue center, which then comes to collect them for rehabilitation before releasing them back to the sea later.
I also belong to a wonderful local community called “Sustainable Community Abu Dhabi” where members share sustainability articles and news, exchange advice on eco-friendly living in Abu Dhabi, share volunteering opportunities, and support one another’s efforts. This community reminds me of the virtuous cycle of positive impact that organizations like SIWA believe in: when we empower and inspire each other, our collective efforts multiply.
It’s easy to feel small in front of the vast sea of challenges, and that our efforts are just drops in the ocean. It can be tempting to think that only large institutions or governments can make a real difference. While I do think that laws, regulations and programs are needed, I also think that no one is too small to make a positive impact, and that no effort is insignificant! Even if we don’t see immediate results, every action matters.
What I’d encourage everyone to do is; next time you’re out in the nature – and it doesn’t have to be in the middle of a forest, could be a park in the city – unplug your devices, maybe even kick off your shoes (it actually has some wonderful, well-researched science-backed health benefits!), and simply be present, feel the nature around you. The plants, birds, little bugs, the flowers. See if you can appreciate the trees that give us oxygen, provide shelter, stabilize the soil, and delight us with magnificent fall foliage in the autumn and fresh green buds and flowers in the spring. Or bees! The incredible pollinators of our crops and an essential part of the biodiversity on which our survival depends on.
Nature may seem ordinary amidst the modern world, but it has evolved over billions of years, much before us humans, to sustain life in countless ways.
It often seems to me that consumers are interested in living sustainably — as long as it’s not compromising their convenience or time. It is natural for us to take care of our loved ones. Similarly, when we love and appreciate the planet, acting in harmony with it and taking sustainable action won’t feel like a burden or sacrifice, more like an opportunity for fulfillment and purpose.
For example, after learning about the enormous toxic toll of fast fashion, particularly synthetic and plastic fabrics like polyester (aka polyethylene terephthalate, same as PET bottles), I sought out alternatives. I discovered thrift stores in Seoul that offered beautiful, timeless clothing with natural fibers—much of it nicer quality than what you’d find in typical department stores, and with a fraction of the price. I also have some cool skirts that used to belong to my grandma and I feel good wearing them, like I’m honoring her memory.
Besides, synthetic, petroleum-based materials contain chemicals known as hormone disruptors, and research has shown that those harmful chemicals can be absorbed through the skin, especially when we sweat through the open sweat glands or when there's friction.
When it comes to transportation, it’s hard to find a carbon-neutral alternative to flying when visiting home in another continent (unless you are Greta Thunberg, of course, sailing from Europe to USA to take part in a climate summit!). And for many, car or taxi is the only feasible means of daily transportation and in that case, we shouldn’t feel guilty about it. But when the weather and distance allow, I love going to the grocery, language class, hobbies, restaurants etc. by bicycle. Or when taking a subway in Korea, it was lovely to just close my eyes and open all other senses, be quiet and present for a moment. A little meditative time. Definitely perks in those “less convenient” alternatives.
And I must mention the oh so handy bottled water, and what’s not mentioned in their list of ingredients – the 240,000 particles of micro and nanoplastics (on average per liter)! Or the other chemicals that have leached into the liquid they are holding inside. While research on their health risks is still ongoing, it’s already known that those particles can get to the bloodstream and from there everywhere in the body, into the fetus, even pass the blood-brain barrier. By switching to a water filter that can filter out microplastics, you'll be doing a favor not just for the environment but for your body as well. (I currently use a gravity-fed Berkey filter, I’m not their paid advocate, but I’m impressed at how many chemicals they can remove from water without filtering out essential minerals).
For every “sacrifice” I make to live more eco-friendly, there is a flip side of the coin, and that other side is often something beautiful or beneficial. What’s good for the planet is more often than not, also good for us – after all, we’re all connected and part of the broader ecosystem. When we view our environment from a perspective of love and gratitude and act in alignment with our values, we can find purpose and fulfillment in whatever we do. Be it environmental protection or whatever it is that we find important.
Whether it’s how we eat or travel, what we buy or not buy, or which businesses we support with our purchases – I’m sure there’s something we can all do a little, even just a little bit better than yesterday. Even the smallest actions can inspire others and ripple out to create broader change.
I hope we can all see sustainability and living in harmony with nature as an opportunity rather than a burden, and eventually enjoy the journey even with its bumps along the way. To quote SIWA’s vision: Anyone can be a changemaker, an agent of positive impact!
